Combination gate hinge and closer

ABSTRACT

A gate hinge and closer means including upper and lower hinge assemblies, each including a bearing component and a hanger component, the bearing component being attached by a strap to a fence post and the hanger component being similarly attached to a gate frame member. A torsion bar has one end received in the bearing component and the other end received in the hanger component. The torsion bar is twisted when the gate is opened and thereby provides the necessary force for effecting automatic closing of the gate.

United States Patent Duncan [451 Oct. 24, 1972 [72] Inventor: Alan W.Duncan, River Forest, 111.

[73] Assignee: Sears, Roebuck and Company,

Chicago, Ill.

[22] Filedf 'July 14,1971

[21] Appl.No.: 162,495

[52] U.S.Cl .;l..' ..l6/184 [51] lnt.Cl. ..E05fl/12 [58] FieldofSearch..l6/l58,l84, 50,180, 187; 49/383 [5 6] References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 3,209,391 10/1965 Mangini ..l6/l84 36 4 17 I 3 W l r r Z T i2,584,904 2/1952 Monger 16/184 Primary ExaminerJames T. McCall AssistantExaminerDoris L. Troutman AttorneyNathan N. Kraus et al.

, [57] ABSTRACT 7 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTEU um 24 m2 r/AISPATENTEDUBI 24 m2 SHEUZUFZ FI 34 FIG25 COMBINATION GATE HINGE AND CLOSERBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to acombination hinge assembly and torsionally operated closer means for aSUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One of the objects of this invention is theprovision of a hinge assembly and closer means for a swinging gate whichpermits the passage of traffic through, in both directions, andeffectively returns the gate to closed position. 1

Another object of this invention is the provision of a hinge assemblyand closer means for a gate which is simple in construction and requiresno alteration of an existing gate or fence post on which it is to bemounted.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a hinge assemblyand closer means which requires a minimum of skill for installation.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparentfrom the following description when the same is considered in connectionwith the accompanying drawings. I

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front .elevational view ofa gate in closed position with a hinge assembly and closer means, inaccordance with my invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view, on an enlarged scale, takensubstantially on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view, on an enlarged scale, takensubstantially on line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 isa cross-sectional view, taken substantially on line 4-4 of FIG.2. 7

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, but completely in elevation, andshowing the gate in fully opened positron.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a hinge component adapted tobe mounted on a gate.

FIG. 7 is a similar view of a hinge component adapted to be mounted on afence post.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the detail shown in FIG. 6; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a detail shown in FIG. 7.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the particularconstruction shown in the drawings, a gate is pivotally supported on atubular fence post 16 by a pair of hinge assemblies 17, in accordancewith my invention, and is arranged to swing in both directions to allowpassage therethrough.

The gate 15 is of conventional construction and includes a tubular gateframe 18 which carries stretched fence material 19 held in position byclamps 21 which secure the endrods 22 passing through the loops of thefence material to the vertical members 23 and 24 of the frame. The hingeassemblies 17 are identical and each includes a bearing component 26,formed preferably as by die casting, and comprising a body portion 27,shaped substantially as illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 9, and having anupwardly extending pintle 28, preferably of frustro-conical form. Thebody portion 27 is hollow, as seen in FIG. 4, and is counterboredendwise to receive a bolt 29. The inner face 31 of the body portion isarcuately formed so as to conform to the curvature of the fence post'l6.A metal strap 32 has a hole at each end and is provided with arectangular nut 33 which is resistance welded to one end ofthe strap inregistration with one of the holes. The nut 33 is of such size and formas to be received within the hollow or cavity 30 of the body portion 27for sliding movement therein, without relative rotation. As will beapparent, rotation of the bolt 29 will drawthe nut 33 inwardly of thehollow to draw the strap 32 tightly about the periphery of the fencepost 16 to effect securement of the hinge component to the post. As seenin FIG. 9,the surface of the body portion opposite the pintle 28 isprovided with an elongated slit 34 of relatively narrow configuration.

The hanger component 36 of the hinge assembly includes a body portion37, generally similar in shape to the body portion 27 of component 26but provided with a pintle socket 38 having an internal configurationcomplemental to the pintle 27. The component 36 includes a bolt 39 andstrap 41, similar to those hereinabove described, and, as seen in F IG.8, also includes a slit 42 in the surface opposite the pintle socket 38.The inner face 43 of the body portion 37 is arcuately formed to conformto the surface curvature of member 23 of the gate.

Referring to FIG. 4, installation of the hinge assemblies l7 perferablyis effected by attaching the lower bearing component 26 to the fencepost 16, in the manner hereinabove described, then attaching the lowerhanger component 36 to the gate member 23 when the same is in planaralignment with the plane of the fence. It will be understood that thepositions of the components 26 and 36 relative to the fence. post andgate may be readily adjusted.

A torsion bar 45 of spring steel of selected quality which may betorsionally twisted upon application of a twisting force has oneendinserted in the slit 42 of the lower hanger component36, as illustratedin FIG. 4. The upper bearing component 26 is then secured to the fencepost 16 with the upper end of the torsion bar 45 received in the slit34. It will of course be understood that both components are in verticalregistration. Finally, the upper hanger component 36 is attached to thegate frame member 23 and the parts when fully assembled are disposed inthe relationship illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 4 with the slits 34 and 42in vertical registration and the torsion bar 45 extending between thecomponents 26 and 36 of the hinge assemblies.

Referring to FIG. 4, it will be seen that the bearing component 26 ofthe upper hinge assembly 17 is fixed to the fence post 16 while thehanger component 36 of the lower hinge assembly is fixed to the gateframe member 23 which, of course, is rockable about the axes of thepintles 28. Thus, as the gate is caused to be rocked in one direction oranother, the bar 45 is twisted and develops a torsional force tending torestore the gate to a normal closed position when it is released.

Various changes coming within the spirit of my invention may suggestthemselves to those skilled in the art; hence, I do not wish to belimited to the specific embodiments shown and described or usesmentioned, but intend the same to be merely exemplary, the scope of myinvention being limited only by the appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. In a hinge and gate closer means arranged to close a fence gate, thecombination of an upper hinge assembly connecting the upper portion of agate to a stationary post and lower hinge assembly connecting the lowerportion of the gate to the stationary post, each of said assembliesincluding a bearing component and a hanger component, one of saidcomponents having a pintle and the other of said components having apintle socket to receive said pintle, and a torsion bar connecting thebearing component of one assembly with the hanger component of the otherassembly.

2. In a hinge and gate closer means arranged to close a fence gate, thecombination of upper and lower hinge assemblies connecting the upper andlower portions respectively of a gate to a stationary post, each of saidassemblies comprising a bearing component and a hanger component, thebearing component having a pintle and being attached to the stationarypost, the hanger component having a pintle socket and being attached tothe gate, and a torsion bar connecting the bearing component of oneassembly to the hanger component of the other assembly.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 including a strap and screw meansassociated with each of said components for effecting securement of eachof said components to said post or gate.

4. The invention as defined in claim 2 which one component of eachassembly has a slot, each slot receiving one end of said torsion bar.

5. The invention as defined in claim 3 in which each component comprisesa metal casting having a body portion having a side face arranged toabut a respective gate member or post, said body portion having a cavityopening into said face, the free ends of said strap being received insaid cavity and being retained by said scre means.

6. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which each of the pintles isfrustro-conical in form.

7. In a hinge and gate closer means arranged to close a fence gate, thecombination of upper and lower hinge assemblies connecting the upper andlower portions respectively of a gate to a stationary post, each of saidassemblies comprising a bearing component and a hanger component, thebearing component comprising a metal casting having a body portionhaving a side face arranged to abut said post, said body portion havinga cavity opening into said face, a strap arranged to embrace said postand having its free ends received in said cavity, screw means passinglaterally through said body portion into said cavity and retaining theends of said strap, said body portion having a pintle on the top surfacethereof and having an elongated slot in the bottom surface thereof, thehanger component comprising a metal casting having a body portion havinga side face arranged to abut a member of said gate, said secondmentioned body portion having a cavity opening into said side face astrap arranged to embrace said member of sat gate and having its freeends received in the cavity of the body portion of said hangercomponent, screw means passing laterally through the body portion ofsaid hanger component into its cavity and retaining the ends of itsrespective strap, said body portion having a pintle socket on the bottomsurfacethereof and having an elongated slot on the top surface thereof,said hanger components being supported on said bearing components with apintle received in a respective socket and a torsion bar having one endreceived in the slot of the lower hanger component and the other endreceived in the slot of the upper bearing component.

1. In a hinge and gate closer means arranged to close a fence gate, thecombination of an upper hinge assembly connecting the upper portion of agate to a stationary post and lower hinge assembly connecting the lowerportion of the gate to the stationary post, each of said assembliesincluding a bearing component and a hanger component, one of saidcomponents having a pintle and the other of said components having apintle socket to receive said pintle, and a torsion bar connecting thebearing component of one assembly with the hanger component of the otherassembly.
 2. In a hinge and gate closer means arranged to close a fencegate, the combination of upper and lower hinge assemblies connecting theupper and lower portions respectively of a gate to a stationary post,each of said assemblies comprising a bearing component and a hangercomponent, the bearing component having a pintle and being attached tothe stationary post, the hanger component having a pintle socket andbeing attached to the gate, and a torsion bar connecting the bearingcomponent of one assembly to the hanger component of the other assembly.3. The invention as defined in claim 2 including a strap and screw meansassociated with each of said components for effecting securement of eachof said components to said post or gate.
 4. The invention as defined inclaim 2 which one component of each assembly has a slot, each slotreceiving one end of said torsion bar.
 5. The invention as defined inclaim 3 in which each component comprises a metal casting having a bodyportion having a side face arranged to abut a respective gate member orpost, said body portion having a cavity opening into said face, the freeends of said strap being received in said cavity and being retained bysaid screw means.
 6. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which eachof the pintles is frustro-conical in form.
 7. In a hinge and gate closermeans arranged to close a fence gate, the combination of upper and lowerhinge assemblies connecting the upper and lower portions respectively ofa gate to a stationary post, each of said assemblies comprising abearing component and a hanger component, the bearing componentcomprising a metal casting having a body portion having a side facearranged to abut said post, said body portion having a cavity openinginto said face, a strap arranged to embrace said post and having itsfree ends received in said cavity, screw means passing laterally throughsaid body portion into said cavity and retaining the ends of said strap,said body portion having a pintle on the top surface thereof and havingan elongated slot in the bottom surface thereof, the hanger componentcomprising a metal casting having a body portion having a side facearranged to abut a member of said gate, said second mentioned bodyportion having a cavity opening into said side face, a strap arranged toembrace said member of said gate and having its free ends received inthe cavity of the body portion of said hanger component, screw meanspassing laterally through the body portion of said hanger component intoits cavity and retaining the ends of its respective strap, said bodyportion having a pintle socket on the bottom surface thereof and havingan elongated slot on the top surface thereof, said hanger componentsbeing supported on said bearing components with a pintle received in arespective socket and a torsion bar having one end received in the slotof the lower hanger component and the other end received in the slot ofthe upper bearing component.